The T.E.F.A.S. (acronym for Training in Europe for the Accountancy Sector) project, promoted by KBM Training and Recruitment, is a mobility project under the umbrella of the Leonardo Programme that is part of the European Union’s Lifelong Learning Programme for the years 2007 until 2013. For more information about the funding opportunities and for more details about the different types of programmes, you can visit the UK National Agency Web Site at leonardo.org.uk.
The year 2013 is actually the last year of the Lifelong Learning Programme.

The forthcoming six-year period from 2014 until 2020 will witness the birth of a completely new programme dedicated to vocational training in Europe, this programme will be called Erasmus +, for more information about this new EU funded projects, you can visit the UK National Agency Web Site at leonard.org.uk or you can contact KBM Training and Recruitment project writers for more information.

KBM Training and Recruitment Leonardo project addresses to the PLM category (PLM stands for People on the Labour Market), so mainly to workers, self-employed, or people available for employment (including graduates) undergoing a training period abroad in a vocational training context.

The idea for this Leonardo project was born from the desire of KBM Training and Recruitment to take on a new challenge: providing training to students, while strengthening the employability chances for those categories of UK citizens who may be suffering more than others in this time of severe contraction of the Global Economy.

The T.E.F.A.S. project addresses students trained on one of KBM’s practical Accountancy programs and mainly unemployed UK Nationals belonging to minority ethnic groups and living in the UK. The beneficiaries of the T.E.F.A.S. project have the chance to do a work placement in the Accountancy sector and to benefit from 12 weeks of professional training in one of the hosting companies that form the transnational net of the project. The hosting companies are based in Dublin, Ireland and in Mosta, Malta, which are the project destinations for the T.E.F.A.S. project.

English will be the official language for communication during the mobilities.

The period of the mobility will range from the beginning of February 2014 until the end of October 2014.

Participants will leave in groups with a maximum of 3 or 4 beneficiaries. The beneficiaries also receive a period of preparation before the mobility: a refresher course on their Accountancy Skills and some cultural awareness and preparation focusing on the hosting destination and on its main peculiarities. KBM Training and Recruitment is a first time participant for the funding of Leonardo Mobility Projects, so this is great opportunity for the company which could lead to other future cooperation within the new programming for EU projects for the years 2014-2020: Erasmus +.

The aims of the T.E.F.A.S. project do meet the criteria indicated in the call for proposals 2013 for Transnational Mobility projects which are mainly:

1) Promote Mobility and strengthen the European dimension;

2) Improve the quality of instruction and professional training;

3) Improve processes of validation of skills and qualifications (application of elements of ECVET - European Credit System for Vocational and Educational Training);

4) Strengthen mutual learning and cooperation.

The project also meets the criteria of the “Green paper” (Promoting the learning mobility of young people – Brussels 8.7.2009 COM 2009 329 final) since the learning mobility has the main purpose of acquiring new skills which is one of the fundamental ways in which individuals, particularly young people, can strengthen their employability as well as their personal development. Furthermore the Green papers clearly underline the necessity of helping and supporting disadvantaged groups through mobility programmes: «There is a need to reach out to groups who tend to be excluded from mobility opportunities. The arguments in favour of learning mobility – coping with globalization, increasing competitiveness and strengthening social cohesion – apply even more so to disadvantaged groups as there are the most vulnerable».

These are the expected results in terms of skills and competences to acquire for the beneficiaries of the T.E.F.A.S. project:

Acquisition of Basic Skills:

Acquire a better knowledge of the European regulations and of the regulations of the hosting country relating to safety in the workplace, hygiene and prevention.

Acquisition of Transversal Skills:

Develop communicative skills in a different and new context.

Learn the company timing (assigned tasks, relationship with colleagues, timetable and rules for the workplace).

Develop better ways of relating to others; promote processes of integration and of development of the European citizenship.

Acquisition of Technical and Professional Skills:

Acquire knowledge of the possibilities offered by the accountancy sector in Europe.

Improve one’s technical and professional skills in order to help employers in search of more skilled and internationalized candidates.

For more information about the project destinations, the partners involved and application for funding procedures you can visit the dedicated sections of the web site or you can contact KBM Training and Recruitment from our contact page.